One of Camdens best loved venues has been forced to close with owners warning of “exceptionally tough” times. The Forge in Delancey Street shut its doors on Friday April 1st, with a final Cuban Jam night. It was previously been the home of the Cafe Delancey restaurant.

Co-founder Adam Caird said: “The directors of The Forge have decided to close the venue from April 1, 2017. Running a music venue in these times is exceptionally tough and we have reached a point where it is time to close the doors and move on to new challenges. We are immensely proud of what we have achieved over eight wonderful years and our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who has contributed to and enjoyed this unique venue. We always strove to be as diverse, inclusive and welcoming as we could and we hope that these values have touched as many people as possible and will continue to do so.”

There were eight scheduled events in April, which have had to be cancelled. Organisers said ticket holders would “receive full refunds” (Enquiries should be directed to: contact@ forgevenue.org)

Save London Music has been trying to contact the operators to discuss the the reasons behind the closure and see what lessons we can learn to try and make sure we don’t see any more iconic venue closurs.